This invention relates to a method of shaving and a dispensing apparatus for dispensing shaving preparations.
Shaving preparations are designed for application to skin to facilitate the removal of hair from the skin using a razor. The shaving preparation softens and supports the hair prior to cutting, and lubricates the passage of the razor over the skin. An extensive discussion regarding the formulation of various shaving preparations may be found in Harry""s Cosmeticology, Seventh Edition, J. B. Wilkinson and R. J. Moore (editors), Chemical Publishing, New York, 1982, pp. 156-189.
Currently, the most widely used forms of shaving preparation are the types referred to as instant foams and self-foaming gels (also known as post-foaming gels). Instant foams comprise water, a dispersed or solubilized surface-active agent (e.g., an anionic, cationic, amphoteric, or nonionic surface-active agent, or combination thereof), and a propellant/blowing agent. They may also include ingredients such as foam builders, foam stabilizers, emollients, viscosity modifiers, lubricants, humectants, preservatives, and fragrance. They are dispensed from pressurized aerosol containers in the form of a rich lather for spreading by hand on the area to be shaved, which preferably has been washed and left wet to help soften and prepare the hair further. Self-foaming gels include many of the same ingredients as instant foams, and must be worked into a lather upon application by hand to the area to be shaved.
Hand-applied shaving preparations are typically used in connection with removing hair from facial skin. However, hand-applied shaving preparations dispensed from an aerosol container in the form of gels, foams, and lotions also exist for removing hair from larger areas such as legs. Typically, the shaving preparation is dispensed first onto the user""s hand and then applied by hand to the leg. However, the user may also apply a dollop of foam or a ribbon of gel directly on the leg, then spread it out by hand over the entire surface to be shaved. Because the shaving preparation must be spread by hand to distribute it over the surface to be shaved, the shaving process is messy and inconvenient. For example, a slippery shave preparation can prevent a shaver from maintaining a firm grip of the shaving article. In addition, the process requires repeated hand rinsing and, in general, is time consuming.
Another popular option in the case of legs involves the simple application by hand of soap, in the form of a bar or liquid, or body wash, along with water. This method is just as messy and inconvenient as the aforedescribed shaving preparations, but without the same level of shaving performance, skin benefits, and application aesthetics.
The invention embraces a method of shaving hair by spraying a shaving preparation directly onto an area of skin to form a dispersed layer of the shaving preparation without the need for hand spreading, and shaving the area with a razor. The invention also embraces a dispensing apparatus for spraying a shaving preparation directly onto an area of skin to be shaved. The dispensing apparatus may be a pump spray or aerosol device. Preferably the shaving preparation forms a lather or foam upon contact with the skin. Since the shaving preparation is applied directly to the area of skin to be shaved, this simplifies application and avoids the inconvenience and messiness associated with hand-applied preparations. The method and apparatus of the present invention are especially useful for applying the shaving preparation to large skin areas to be shaved, such as the legs, since the spray will quickly cover a wide area.